In a pastoral letter, Arch Bishop Cardinal George Alencherry - head of Syro Malabar Church in Kerala - on Wednesdayasked churches to stop commercialising and exaggerating accounts of miracles in the name of saints.

The letter said that some smaller churches are imitating the rituals held at famous churches, for the feast of some particular saints. The Bishop points out that miraculous abilities of the saints are publicised and even fabricated for attracting more people to the churches.

The pastoral letter titled ‘Reviewing Feast Celebrations’, warns that parishes should stop making money out of feasts.

“There is no need to advertise miracles. If someone receives a divine help that itself a display of god’s grace,” he wrote as per The Times of India report.

The church circular reminded that religious and cultural practices should be given more importance in feast celebrations. It also heavily criticised usage of fireworks in festivities. “Fireworks, drums and fancy lightings are given more importance, which destroys the spiritual atmosphere.”

The circular also said that Churches should use money for charity and not for luxury. The Bishop quoted an example in the letter of one of the churches in Ernakulam, which built two houses from the money it saved by avoiding fireworks.